


Just a Little Secret

by Itsmarvelous



Category: EXO (Band), NCT (Band), SHINee, SuperM (Korea Band)
Genre: Acceptance, Anxiety, Bisexuality, Canon, Canon Compliant, Coming Out, Cuddling & Snuggling, Established Relationship, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Kim Jongin - Freeform, Kissing, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan-centric, Lee Jeno-centric, M/M, Making Out, Mark Lee (NCT)-centric, Mentioned Lee Taemin, Mentions of SHINee, Mentions of WayV - Freeform, Mutual Pining, Na Jaemin-centric, Panic Attacks, Roommates, Secret Relationship, Secrets, Sharing a Bed, SuperM - Freeform, Supportive Members, Swearing, mentions of EXO, mentions of nct - Freeform, practice room, supportive friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:14:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25065223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Itsmarvelous/pseuds/Itsmarvelous
Summary: Five times members found out about Mark and Donghyuck's relationship, and one time they came out to NCT. (Mark and Haechan are 19-20 years old in this story.)
Relationships: Kim Jongin | Kai/Lee Taemin, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee, Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin
Comments: 16
Kudos: 485





	1. Mark and Donghyuck

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time witting fan-fiction, so I hope you like it! I've always wanted to, so I gave it a try:) Anyways, I hope it turned out well, and if you have any comments/feedback I'd love to hear it!  
> 

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I rewrote this chapter! I'll probably rewrite the others as well:)  
> Thanks for reading!

Johnny, August 26th

It was a common occurrence for Johnny to wake up with an extra person in his room.

He was roommates with Donghyuck, but that meant he’d regularly find Mark passed out on his roommate's double bed. The two were always like that, wherever you found one, you would most definitely find the other.

This particular morning though, when Johnny woke up, Mark was also awake. Haechan rested his head on Mark’s chest, and had an arm draped over the older's waist. From what Johnny could tell, their legs were also intertwined, but they were blocked from view by an over-sized blanket.

Mark was observing Hyuck with soft eyes as he ran a subtle hand through his messy hair.

Johnny looked at them, then stifled a playful laugh. “You guys look like an old married couple.” Nothing about this morning was out of the ordinary, but it seemed to be too early for Mark to form coherent sentences.

“Uhhh, what do you mean? No we don’t, whaaaat?”

His voice was rising with every syllable, so much so that Johnny turned to look at them again. Realization dawning on his face.

“Wait, are you guys actually together?”

Mark started shaking Haechan’s arm, trying to get him to wake up. Without even opening his eyes, Hyuck started mumbling.

“It’s okay just tell him…” He fell back asleep immediately after, not realizing the effects of his words. Mark knew Haechan would’ve said something different if he was actually awake, but there was no denying anything now.

He turned to Johnny. His hyung's eyes were wide with questions, but he was obviously trying to keep his face neutral.

“Okay yeah, we’re together. We have been for nearly three years now, but were not really ready to come out just yet. So, uh... Can you maybe keep this to yourself?”

Johnny got over his shock quickly, a smile replacing his features. “Of course, I won’t tell anyone. Just know, I support you guys, I always have, and I always will. No matter what. ”

Mark looked up at him, then down at Haechan, who was still sleeping on his chest, “Thank you, it’s really nice to hear you say that.”

Johnny came over and ruffled Mark’s hair, “Anytime Mark,” then walked towards the door. With a hand resting on the door handle, he turned back towards the two on the bed. “Can I just say that I’m really impressed you’ve managed to keep this to yourselves for so long. I swear, I thought you two were the worst at keeping secrets until literally right now.”

Mark throws a pillow at him. “Shut up, don’t underestimate Hyuck’s secret keeping skills! He can make cover stories so good nobody even questions them.”

“Okay, not gonna lie, that’s kinda scary.” Johnny opened the door, but turned back one more time. “You should probably wake him up soon, we have early practice this morning.”

Mark nodded in response, which Johnny accepted with a satisfied smirk. He left the room and walked towards the kitchen, closing the bedroom door behind him.

Mark looked down at Haechan, “Hyuck, Hyuck! Wake up, you’re not gonna believe what just happened. You can’t be mad at me either because you had a part in it too!”

Ten, September 30th

Throughout his life, Ten's familiarized himself with the do's and don'ts of secret keeping. He'd even say he's gotten pretty good at it, seeing as he has no problem finding his way out of incriminating questions. In fact, he's managed to keep many things under lock and key; including his preference for men.

Honestly, he's scared of his member’s reactions. He doesn't know if their friendships would change, but the possibility of losing some of them makes him internally freeze. He’s thought about telling Johnny, who is one of his closest friends, or telling WayV because he spends most of his time with them, but he never does.

His familiarity with secrets is why he starts observing Mark. There's nothing out of the ordinary about how he acts, but it’s also obvious that he's hiding something.

For starters, he always keeps his phone brightness all the way down. Meaning no one else can see anything if they glance at his notifications.

Sometimes, he’ll even catch Mark hiding a smile. However, any attempts at subtlety are failed by a persistent blush tinting his ears.

There’s also the fact that these little habits change entirely when he’s with Donghyuck. His blush turns into a _constant_ reminder of flustered emotions, and his phone is found long-forgotten on some faraway table.

This is something Ten started noticing months ago. Whenever Mark and Haechan were near each other, it was almost like they were inseparable. They hang off each other like their lives depend on it. He assumes they’ve been like this since they met because none of the other members seem to question it.

It probably helped that Ten was in China for so long promoting with WayV as well. Considering that his return to Korea for SuperM preparations made it impossible to ignore Mark's newfound habits.

It was obvious to Ten that when Mark and Haechan looked at each other, there was something deeper than friendship between them.

Nevertheless, his proof didn't come until him and Mark were roommates for SuperM promotions.

It was late, and they’d just finished an intense performance. As soon as they unlocked the door to their hotel room, they were getting ready for bed. Mark hopped in the shower first, then Ten followed. The older was the first to say goodnight, choosing to ignore the silent plea of checking social media in lieu of sleep.

He tried closing his eyes, but his brain was too busy to stop. 

Nearly twenty minutes later, he heard Mark sliding off his bed. He was being extremely quiet, most definitely trying not to wake his 'sleeping' roommate. So, Ten just kept lying down. He pretended to sleep to avoid the possibility of dealing with guilty eyes if he started moving.

The next thing he knew, the bathroom door was left open as Mark made a phone call. Ten could hear it ringing, then someone picked up.

“Hey Hyuck,” Mark said sleepily.

The conversation went on for nearly half an hour. Ten didn’t want to eavesdrop, but his headphones were in his bag across the room.

Before he knew it, Mark was saying goodnight.

“I love you, Hyuck. I know it’s not exactly night time where you are, but it is here. So, goodnight and good morning, I’ll see you soon.”

Ten knows he wasn’t supposed to hear this conversation, so he never brings it up. He wants to respect their privacy, knowing he already overstepped by hearing this conversation. So, he let it be. He knows they’ll tell everyone when they’re ready.

Being gay as well, he knows how much he would hate it if something outed him before he was ready. So, the only thing he can do now is treat them how he would want someone to react with him, allow them to say it themselves.

Jaehyun, October 15th

Everyone knows Haechan is extremely busy at the moment. Dream and 127 are both either preparing for a comeback, or promoting. It’s been like that all year. This week however, is particularly hard for him.

Jaehyun watches him sometimes, recognizing the fact that he’s about to fall. It’s too much for someone so young, and no one at the moment understands how busy he is. When Mark and Haechan were both in Dream together, it seemed as if the excessive schedules weren’t as exhausting. 

Jaehyun thinks it’s because they were able to lean on each other constantly, but Mark graduated from Dream. So, everything’s just a little bit different.

Donghyuck seemed to be handling it okay enough, until one afternoon.

In the middle of a 6 hour 127 practice, Donghyuck stopped dancing. Everyone follows suit, all sporting the same worried eyes as the music quiets.

They all watched as tears started forming in his eyes, then felt their hearts constrict as Hyuck choked back a sob. Yuta, while being as calming as possible, tried approaching the maknae.

Haechan stumbled backwards almost immediately after Yuta stepped forward, then ran out the practice room door. Everyone was frozen for a second, then Mark followed him. He looked back at his hyungs with desperate eyes. “Can you give us a minute, I’ve got this.”

His footsteps were soon lost echoes down the hallway.

The members were silent, all taking a second to comprehend what just happened. The leader then clapped his hands, grabbing all members' attention.

“Okay, we’ll give them twenty minutes. If they’re not back, we’ll go make sure they’re okay. For now, just take a break. Grab some water and a snack, we’ll start again when Donghyuck is better.”

The members all nodded, agreeing without hesitation.

~~~~~

When Mark saw Hyuck freeze during the dance, he knew what was about to happen. Haechan has had panic attacks before, but they’ve almost always happened back at the dorm. Now, not only will he be panicking over the stress, but he’ll also feel embarrassed because he hates breaking down in front of people like that.

Haechan knows his members won’t judge him, but the feelings are still playing on repeat in his mind. He continues running down the hall, knowing without checking that the footsteps following behind him belong to Mark.

The older follows Haechan into an empty room, hidden at the end of a secluded hallway. No one comes down this section often, so they should have some privacy.

Mark crouches down in front of Haechan, making sure not to touch him without permission. Hyuck is in the corner of the room, head on his knees, crying and hyperventilating. Mark knows he has to calm down Hyuck’s breathing. So, he starts talking softly, asking Haechan to follow him. “It’s okay Hyuck, I’m right here. Can you breathe with me? In for four, hold for four, out for four.” He repeats the breathing exercises over and over, and then after about 10 minutes, Haechan starts to follow along more regularly. “Good Hyuck, you’re doing so good. Keep breathing you’ve got this. Can I take your hands?”

Donghyuck nods quickly, so Mark holds his hands. He moves his thumbs in calming circles on Haechan’s palms. “It’s okay Hyuck, I’m right here. Anything you need.”

Haechan pulls on Mark's wrists until he’s sitting right beside him, both leaning against the wall. Mark knows what Haechan needs right now, so he opens his arms. Haechan hides his face against Mark's chest, and finds comfort in the protective arms wrapped around his shoulders. The only light comes from a crack in the door, illuminating them only slightly.

They stay like this for a while, in the dark of the room. Mark holding Haechan as his tears come steadily. He kisses the top of Haechan’s head, continuing to hold him for as long as he needs.

~~~~~

Back in the practice room -after what felt like forever- Taeyong says they can go look for Mark and Haechan. Everyone was worried about the maknae, knowing how overwhelmed he had to be to reach this level of stress.

Jaehyun was the one checking the floor Mark and Donghyuck had disappeared to. He was checking all the closed doors, knowing they probably wouldn't be out in the open when Hyuck felt this vulnerable.

At the end of the hall, Jaehyun could hear whispers coming from a slightly ajar door. He was about to knock when something caught his eye.

From the crack in the door, he could see Mark place his hands gently on Donghyuck’s cheeks, kindly tilting his head so that he could look at Hyuck’s eyes. Donghyuck then nodded, and Mark kissed him on the forehead, then the tip of the nose, until he finally landed his lips on Haechan’s.

The two kissed, not passionately, but as if they’d done this a million times before. That was when Jaehyun realized they weren’t just friends anymore, and that their relationship was actually something way stronger.

After seeing them kiss, Jaehyun turned around. He decided he didn’t want to interrupt them right now, knowing that Mark could calm Haechan down on his own, perfectly fine.

He texted the group chat the hyungs often use while discussing the Dream kids, knowing Mark had never been added.

“They’re okay, just found them. I’m heading back to the practice room now, but they need another minute.”

Everyone replied pretty fast, deciding to regroup in the practice room.

Before Jaehyun opened the practice room door, he texted Mark. “Join us whenever you’re ready, no rush.”

He didn’t want to tell Mark and Haechan what he saw. Knowing that if they kept their relationship private, then they probably didn’t want everyone to know just yet. So, he kept their secret too.

Jaehyun opened the practice room door and answered everyone's questions immediately. “Yes, they’re okay. Haechan was looking better, I didn’t go in the room though because Mark had it under control. So, we can get started if everyone’s ready?”

Everyone nodded, satisfied with the outcome.

Mark and Haechan joined them 15 minutes later. Hyuck’s eyes were still a little puffy, but he had a small smile present on his face.

Jaemin, December 14th

Mark and Haechan never really had any time alone. There was almost always someone else in the dorm, or in the van, etc. So, they survived off stolen kisses when the opportunity presented itself.

They managed to find a couple nights here and there where they were both free. On those nights, they would almost always go to their favorite restaurant. It had private rooms with doors, completely hidden from the public’s prying eyes.

Today was a rare day, they didn't have a free night, but they had a free afternoon when all the Dream kids had schedules.

Haechan was supposed to go to the Dream dorm this afternoon anyways. They had Dream practice that night, while 127 practice had finished at noon.

So, when Haechan jumped in the van that was meant to take him to the Dream dorm, Mark asked the managers if he could join. He knew they would say yes because his schedule was free for the rest of the day.

As soon as they entered the Dream dorm, they hopped in shower. They felt gross after dancing for 5 hours.

Donghyuck went first, then Mark. After they both finished, it was a unanimous decision to make some lunch. They made something simple, not wanting to make too big of a mess because that would take precious time to clean up.

“Can we go to my room now?” Hyuck said.

Mark looked at him sheepishly, then agreed without hesitation, a blush already forming on his cheeks.

Haechan took his hand and led him hastily to his room, closing the door behind them.

~~~~~

Jaemin was happy to have his schedules finish early, it was pretty rare to have free time on a day that was supposed to be packed.

When he opened the door to their dorm, he noticed Mark hyung’s shoes and bag in the entryway. He didn’t know Mark was coming over today, maybe he should ask if he was staying for dinner?

Jaemin walked into the living room, expecting to find Mark and Donghyuck easily. They were usually playing video games, or watching a movie, but the room was empty. He walked down the hall towards Donghyuck's room and opened the door.

He was definitely not expecting to see a shirtless Mark on top of Haechan, with the two kissing -like really kissing- when he walked in the door.

“Oh my God, I was not expecting that.” Said Jaemin as he closed the door quickly, and turned towards the kitchen.

He didn’t see Mark jumping off the bed to grab his shirt, then running to the door. His shirt was on inside-out, but that wasn’t really on his mind at the moment.

Haechan -still fully dressed- was right behind Mark.

“Jaemin wait! We can explain.” Donghyuck yelled. They were all squished in the hallway.

“You guys don’t need to explain anything, really it’s okay. I was just a little shocked.” He said with a laugh, “I’m happy for you two, you’re good together.”

“We should’ve locked the door, huh.” Mark looks towards Haechan, then turns to Jaemin, “We thought we had the dorm for another hour.”

“Oh yeah, I finished early. Should’ve knocked I guess. That was probably not the way you guys wanted to come out.”

“Could you maybe not tell anyone else though, were not exactly ready to come out to everyone just yet.” Haechan asked.

“Yeah, of course. You didn’t even have to ask. That’s your choice.”

Haechan and Mark shared a smile, genuinely happy that another member was reacting so well.

Jaemin smiled as well, then his eyes lit up with a question. “So, how long have you been together?”

Hyuck blushed slightly when he heard the question, and replied as he scratched the back of his neck instinctively. “A little over three years, now.”

“And no one knows you’re together!? Wow, that’s impressive”

Haechan starts to talk, “Well actually, Johnny knows. But that’s only because I was half asleep, and Mark forgot how to talk when Johnny called us an old married couple.”

“Oh my god he did not, I can definitely see you two acti-”

The door then slammed open, and in came the loud voices of the two youngest. Chenle and Jisung must’ve finished early too. After putting two and two together, Jaemin whispered low enough for Donghyuck and Mark to hear.

“I bet you’re glad my schedule finished earlier than theirs, can you imagine the reactions you would’ve gotten out of the maknaes?”

They all laugh, then go greet the kids at the door. They start supper a little early to have enough time to clean up before their night time dance practice.

Mark and Haechan shared a glance, knowing Jaemin’s reaction was about as good as it gets.

Maybe it was time they came out to the rest of their members?

SuperM, January 20th

Haechan had been wanting to talk with Mark about something important for a while now. Mark figured that taking him to the SuperM dance practice room, an hour before their scheduled practice, would be the best chance for them to talk without getting interrupted.

If Mark was being honest, he also had something he wanted to talk to Haechan about.

Ever since they started dating three years ago, they always talked about coming out to their members. Fear always stopped them. Things must’ve changed though because as soon as they walked into the privacy of the SuperM dance practice room, they both immediately said, “I want to come out to our members.”

They both stared at each other, a smile forming in their eyes. They decided that the best thing to do would be to sit down and talk about their next move.

“Are you sure?” Mark asked.

“Yeah, I’m sure. Two of our members know already, and they both reacted well. I’m sure our members will support us. Are you ready?”

“Yeah, I am.”

The two came up with a plan. They were ready, they could do this, everything would be okay. Haechan took Mark’s hand, there was no turning back this time.

The two talked for another couple minutes, the start of practice only twenty minutes away. They turned to kiss each other goodbye, or so they thought.

Before they could separate, the noise of large doors opening made them jump apart. After, they were left with the surprised stares of their hyungs cooling their skin.

Hyuck stood first, then proceeded to pull Mark into the center of the room. He was met with slight hesitation at first, but Mark quickly regained his confidence. Coming out to his SuperM hyungs felt different, more unknown. Mark still thought of them as 'standing on pedestals,' and now they stood in front of him, watching him with indecipherable eyes.

“In case there's still some confusion, Mark and I are together. And it just seems to be our luck that people keep seeing us kiss.” Haechan said the end just loud enough for Mark to hear, and the older reached out for Hyuck's hand, squeezing a couple times for comfort.

Their hyungs we’re still staring, obviously shocked until Mark whispered rather loudly to Haechan. “Why aren’t they saying anything!”

With that, everyone regained their composure. Surprisingly, the first to talk was Jongin, but not until he shared a nod with Taemin.

“Guys, it’s okay. Trust me, you don't have to worry. I know how scared you must be feeling right now because Taemin and I went through the same thing. We’ve been together for a while now, and I still remember being scared to come out to our members.” He looked at Taeyong, “Everyone was good... They were perfect, and I swear to you everyone in your group will react the same because they love you. They’re your family.”

Taeyong spoke up next. “I’m sorry if we ever made you feel like we wouldn’t accept you. Because we will accept and support the both of you no matter what. We love you so much, and I need you both to know that.”

Mark started to tear up at that point, but he tried to hide it. Haechan saw and used the sleeve of his hoodie to gently wipe the tears away, then pulled him into a hug.

Lucas yelled, “GROUP HUG!” Then ran towards the duo, wrapping them in his arms. Soon, they were enveloped by their SuperM hyungs.

After having another unexpected coming out filled with nothing but support, Haechan and Mark knew that they were ready.

Three years was a long time to keep secrets, but they were ready now to share with the people they cared about most.

Everyone, February 15th

Mark and Haechan had made a plan. They didn’t want to call a group meeting, etc. because everyone was really busy. So, they waited for the next opportunity everyone was together.

This opportunity presented itself three weeks after their unexpected coming out with SuperM, nearly 6 months after Johnny was the first to learn about their relationship.

To say they were nervous was an understatement. They were ready for this, but that doesn’t mean they were immune to nerves. From the moment their members started arriving, Mark and Haechan were on the couch. They were impossibly close to each other, speaking so softly no one else could understand them.

Even through all the commotion of Dream, WayV and U members coming to the 127 dorm, Mark and Haechan never moved. They were sitting there, waiting for all their members to make their drinks, get their snacks and finally sit down in the living room.

It probably didn’t take long that long, but for Mark and Haechan, it felt like eternity.

When Yangyang was just about to shut off the light, Haechan shot up. Immediately grabbing everyone's attention. 

“Actually, can you keep the light on for a second? Mark and I wanted to talk to everyone about something.”

Haechan grabbed Mark's hand and pulled him through the pile of members sitting on the floor, until they were finally standing in front of the TV.

Mark and Haechan shared a glance, then Mark started talking, still holding hands. “We’ve actually been wanting to tell you guys this for a while now, we um…”

Haechan squeezed his hand.

“We’re together. We’ve been together for three years now, we were just scared to tell everyone.”

“We never knew how to tell everyone,” Haechan starts. “We figured enough people have found out these past couple of months, so it was time. Everyone reacted well, so we're hoping you all could too.”

Johnny was the first to speak, having known about them the longest, “Thank you guys for sharing this with us. I wouldn’t know personally, but I can assume that it took a lot of courage. So, thank you for trusting us because we will support you two no matter what.”

Everyone nodded and agreed with Johnny, happy and proud of the two standing in front of them.

Taeyong was next, “I’ve known about you two for a couple weeks now, and I just wanted to say to _everyone_ in this room. We are your family, nothing will ever change the way we feel about you. I hope everyone here knows that we’ll support you all, and love you all, no matter what. So, if anyone else has anything they would like to share, you can take this opportunity, or you can wait until you’re ready. There’s no pressure, just know that you can.”

Haechan and Mark started walking back to their seats, they had smiles on their faces when they sat down. Soon, everyone's eyes turned to Ten when he started talking.

“I actually have something to uh, share too. I never really felt comfortable enough to tell anybody before, but I do now. I’m gay. It took me a really long time to even think about telling anyone, but I wanted to tell you. You guys make me feel more confident in myself than I ever did growing up, so thank you.”

Taeyong looked Ten directly in the eyes. “Thank you for trusting us Ten. It must’ve been difficult to keep that a secret for so many years without anyone else to lean on.” Ten smiled at him, then Taeyong started speaking once more. “Does anyone else have any-”

“We do!” Said Jeno and Jaemin, both of their hands in the air.

“We're actually together too, like boyfriends. Almost two years now.”

Before Taeyong could say anything, Haechan started speaking.

“Holy shit, is that why you were so cool when you walked in on me and Mark kissing?”

Mark looked like he was about to explode from embarrassment, “ _Oh my God_ Hyuck, _really_? You had to tell _everyone_ about that?”

From that, everyone started laughing, mostly at Mark’s reaction.

Taeyong wanted to say something to Jeno and Jaemin, so he waited until everyone calmed down.

“Thanks to everyone for sharing tonight. Know that everyone here will support you. We're family, that means something.”

“Wait, wait! Before we start watching the movie, I wanna ask everyone something. How many people knew about Mark and Haechan before tonight? I was the first to find out a couple months ago, but some of you didn't seem too shocked. If Mark and Haechan are okay with this…” Johnny looked at them and they both nodded, “If you knew, raise your hand.”

Jaemin, Johnny, Ten, Taeyong, Lucas and Jaehyun raised their hands. Mark and Haechan knew the story for all of them, but stopped at Jaehyun. “How did you know?” Haechan asked curiously.

“Do you remember the day about four months ago that you left 127 dance practice crying. You stopped dancing then left, and Mark followed you?”

“Yeah, I do.” Said Haechan.

“After like twenty minutes we went looking for you two to make sure you had calmed down, and to see if Mark needed any help. I found the room you guys were in cause I heard whispering. When I was about to open the door, I saw Mark put his hands on your face.”

Mark started blushing now, obviously knowing what Jaehyun had seen.

“Then, he kissed you.”

Both boys from the story are blushing messes on the couch.

“I can’t believe you saw that.” Haechan said as he hid his face in Mark's shoulder.

All the boys around them knew Mark and Haechan were close, but after finding out that they were together, they realized that there were so many sides of their relationship they’ve never seen, or even knew existed.

Ten was the next to speak up, “I actually knew before three weeks ago too. I overheard a phone call one night when you thought I was asleep. We were roommates for SuperM promotions. You never closed the bathroom door all the way. I didn’t want to listen in, but I couldn’t actually avoid it because you were talking pretty loud. I never said anything though because I wanted you two to come out when you were ready, so I just let it be.”

“Thanks Ten, it means a lot.”

Next thing anyone knew, Taeyong was yelling “GROUP HUG EVERYBODY, I think we need it.”

Everyone piled on top of each other, laughing uncontrollably over the massive group hug that seemed never ending.

Then Renjun yelled, “I wanna hear how Jaemin found out!”

Everyone agreed rather loudly, Mark and Haechan struggled to get out of the hug, trying to chase after Jaemin.

“I walked in on them making out. Like kissing so hard, and guess what? Mark wasn’t wearing a shirt!”

Mark from the middle of the hug screamed. “NOOO! JAEMIN HOW DARE YOU!”

Everyone started laughing.

Haechan, right beside Mark in the group hug -which seemed more like a trap meant to keep them away from Jaemin- grabbed Mark and kissed him, right in the middle of the living room. While Mark kissed him back, they realized this was the first time they weren’t afraid of what might happen if their member’s found out. They know, they told them, and everything turned out okay.


	2. Jeno and Jaemin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had an idea for Jeno and Jaemin, specifically how their relationship first started. This is set right after Jaemin's hiatus, during "We Go Up" promotions. This would have happened two years before the first chapter, so I hope you like it!

Whenever Jeno was looking for Jaemin, he always knew where to check first.

Even if his best friend hasn’t told him why he’s spending all of his time in the practice room, Jeno understands. Just by glancing at his younger friend's face, he knows he’s feeling scared.

He’s scared of falling behind, of being forgotten in the background, of being told he’s not good enough. These fears formed when Jaemin had to watch Dream practice and improve without him, all because he was healing from an injury.

Jeno told his friend multiple times during his hiatus that everyone in NCT just wanted him to heal. Reassuring him that his hard-earned spot in NCT Dream would still be waiting for him when he felt better.

His words had fallen short though.

This was the fifth night in a row Jeno had to walk the emptied practice room hallway in order to urge his friend to finally come home. Jaemin has been practicing non-stop to prove to everyone he still belongs, even though no one’s questioning his position. 

Fear has driven Jaemin to push himself over and over since returning, so Jeno can only hope he can help Jaemin understand he’s not going to be kicked out. He is irreplaceable, so Jeno will do anything to make him realize his worth once more.

We Go Up was blaring in Jaemin’s favorite practice room. Without even bothering to check the rest of the hallway, Jeno walked towards the music. He pushed open the door, then quietly stepped inside the room.

Jaemin didn't notice. Instead of saying anything, he watched his younger friend dance. His movements were captivating. Jaemin hit every beat with perfect control and strength, making it impossible to look away.

Jeno had always noticed this about Jaemin. His friend had the ability to leave him breathless with the subtlest of things. Jeno tried to convince himself that this happened to everyone and their best friend, but he knew that wasn’t the case. He felt more for Jaemin. It was ALWAYS more, and it would always BE more.

Jeno had realized when he was fifteen that the way he felt about his best friend could no longer be described as friendship. He had feelings for Jaemin, and his feelings were impossibly hard to hide while being constantly surrounded by the one thing that made his breath hitch.

Jeno watched as Jaemin hit the ending pose, probably for the hundredth time tonight. The breathing that he had under control while dancing had turned into large breaths. Jaemin noticed his friend by the door when he turned around to grab his water bottle.

“How long have you been here?” Asked Jaemin, words breathy from excessive exercise.

“Since the first chorus. It’s looking REALLY good.” Jeno walked towards his friend.

“It could be better though. I mean, you’ve seen Jisung dance this right? He’s amazing.”

“So are you, Jaemin. Everything I just saw was perfect, you hit every single beat.”

Jaemin sat against the wall, so Jeno slid down beside him. Their arms were touching from sitting impossibly close together.

Jaemin opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. Finally, he started talking.

“Can I ask you something? You have to be honest.”

Jeno looked at his friend, then answered.

“Of course, you can ask me anything.”

“Am I doing alright? Like keeping up? Nobody has said anything to me, but I feel like I need to keep proving myself. I was gone for a year, that’s a LONG time. Do you think...”

Jaemin held his breath, speaking his last thought no louder than a whisper.

“Do you think I still deserve to be here?”

Jeno felt his heart ache as he listened to his best friend speak so vulnerably.

“Jaemin, please listen to me.” Jeno turned his body so he was looking Jaemin directly in the eyes.

“You got injured, it could’ve happened to anyone. You’ve worked so hard to get where you are, and you’re still working everyday. Nobody is looking at you to criticize you. Everyone knows why you were gone, and everyone is beyond happy that you’re back. You are irreplaceable on our team. Nothing was the same when you were gone.”

Jeno saw tears forming in Jaemin’s eyes. He kept talking, he still had more to say.

“You deserve to be here more than anyone, and I will keep telling you that everyday if I have to. You’re doing more than alright Jaemin, you’re doing so good. Please believe me when I say you deserve everything you’ve achieved and more.”

The tears forming in Jaemin’s eyes started falling, so Jeno pulled him into a hug. He felt his sweater getting wet from Jaemin’s crying, but he cared more about comforting his friend than the shirt he was wearing.

Jaemin pulled away from the hug after a couple minutes, deciding instead to lean on Jeno’s shoulder.

“Thank you, I feel a lot better now. I don’t know why I got emotional all of a sudden, I was having a really good day.” Jaemin laughed softly, looking towards his friend with a gentle smile on his face.

Jeno could see dried tear tracks on Jaemin’s cheeks. He gently lifted his hand to wipe them away, making eye contact with Jaemin in the process.

Their eye contact never usually meant anything, but tonight it lingered. 

Jeno couldn’t look away. His best friend's eyes were the first thing he fell in love with three years ago, and now their faces were inches away from each other. They were close enough to kiss, all he had to do was lean forward.

Jeno looked away quickly, aware of the tension he broke by his sudden movement. He started talking, then fidgeting his hands. He wasn’t quite able to speak clearly after realizing he just thought about kissing his best friend.

“I uh, came here to get you. To bring you home, I mean. Back to the dorms. It’s past midnight. So, uh, we should start heading home.”

Jeno put his hands on either side of his legs, then pushed himself to stand up.

He looked back down towards his friend, whose mouth was hanging open in confusion.

Jeno reached out his hand to help his friend stand, Jaemin accepted. Jeno tried to pull him to his feet gently, but he was lighter than anticipated, making them stumble. They both ended up back on the floor, but this time they were lying down.

Jaemin was on top, hands on either side of Jeno’s head. Their legs were entangled together.

This should’ve been a laughing matter. If this happened to any other member, they would probably just stand up and laugh it off, but Jeno and Jaemin weren’t laughing. It was almost as if they were frozen.

Silence was broken when Jaemin started talking with a gentle smile plastered on his face, he closed his eyes

“I thought you were going to kiss me last month, but you never did. Same thing happened two weeks ago. Then again right now.”

He laughed softly. He opened his eyes, looking at Jeno’s lips.

“You can kiss me now, if you want to.” Then he paused, saying one last thing while looking at Jeno’s eyes. “I want you to.”

Over the past three years, Jeno tried not to think about the possibility of his best friend liking him back. It hurt him to realize that the chances of Jaemin feeling the same way were slim. He was wrong, though. 

Jaemin just admitted that he wanted Jeno to kiss him.

Jeno moved one of his arms underneath himself, so that he could prop himself up higher. He rested his other hand on Jaemin’s cheek. Then, he leaned closer to his best friend.

Their lips met halfway.

Neither had much experience kissing, but everything that was happening felt right.

Jeno moved his hand from Jaemin’s cheek, to the back of his head. His hand ran gently through Jaemin’s pink hair.

Jeno soon let the arm that was holding him up slide back down the floor. Letting Jaemin kiss him more comfortably. His now free hand then wrapped around to Jaemin’s back, pulling him close.

Soon, Jaemin rested their foreheads together. Stopping for breath.

“Oh my god.” The younger said with a laugh. Jeno was quick to answer, a smile accompanying his words.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for like, three years now.”

“I don’t know why we haven’t. I've had feelings for you since before my hiatus.”

“You’re kidding! Tell me you’re joking.” Jeno said with a laugh, then continued with a more sincere tone. “I never thought you would like me back, not like this.”

Jaemin thought for a second before answering, moving from his spot above Jeno. They were now lying beside each other, staring at the practice room ceiling. “I didn’t even realize you felt the same way I did until last month. Before that, I was scared you’d hate me if you ever found out I had feelings for you.”

Jeno reached out his hand to hold Jaemin’s, then started talking.

“Even if I hadn’t fallen for you three years ago, nothing you could do would ever make me hate you. Especially this.”

Jaemin squeezed his hand. 

“What happens now?” The younger asks with a soft voice.

Jeno replayed his next few words over in his head, taking a deep breath before asking.

“What would you think about being my boyfriend?”

He looked over at Jaemin, who was smiling brightly.

“I think that would be okay.” Then he turned so his face was inches away from Jeno’s. 

The two kissed once more, but this time it was much calmer. Jaemin then rested his head on Jeno’s chest.

“I would love to be your boyfriend, Jeno.”

The older boy wrapped his arm around Jaemin, kissing the top of his head softly. They stayed there for a couple minutes, then Jaemin broke the silence with a laugh.

“Can we get off this goddamn floor now? It’s hurting my back.”


	3. Taemin and Jongin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will most likely be the last chapter:) I talked about Taemin and Jongin coming out to their members in the first chapter, so I wanted to elaborate. I hope you like it!

March 2017,

Jongin wasn’t expecting to hear a knock on his door so late. Most members had already gone to bed, hoping to get a good night’s rest before starting over early tomorrow morning.

Jongin hadn’t fallen asleep yet though, and he honestly wasn’t planning to for another hour.

He had already changed into sweatpants, fresh out of the shower. He was technically ready for bed, but he had other plans.

Taemin had called him twenty minutes ago. They hadn’t seen each other in over a week due to clashing schedules, so late night phone calls were how they constantly kept in touch. 

They've been in a relationship for nearly three years now, so they're used to long periods of time in between their next in-person encounter. 

When Jongin heard a knock on his door tonight, he knew this wasn’t exactly normal behavior for his members. It was late, so they usually kept to their own rooms after saying goodnight.

“Hey Tae, someone just knocked on my door. I'm going to check who it is, I’ll be back in a second.”

Jongin walked towards his bedroom door with his phone in one hand. He found Sehun standing in the hallway anxiously. After seeing Jongin open the door, he asked his friend a question with a quiet voice.

“Can I talk to you about something?”

Jongin nodded, letting Sehun into his room.

He lifted his phone to his ear, saying goodbye to Taemin.

“Hey, I’m going to have to call you back tomorrow. Is that alright?”

“Yeah, of course.” Said Taemin through the phone. “I’m free to call you tomorrow night, I’ll text you when.”

“Okay, sounds good.”

Taemin ended the call, knowing they wouldn’t be saying their usual ‘I love you’ before their goodbyes. None of their members knew about their relationship, so it was pretty common for them to end their phone calls short, continuing through text.

“I’m sorry if I interrupted something.” Said Sehun as he sat down on Jongin’s bed.

“No, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it.” He sat down beside the Maknae, both leaning against the wall.

Jongin spoke again, sensing Sehun’s uneasiness.

“So, what’s bothering you?”

“If I tell you something, will you promise not to get mad?”

Jongin looked curiously at Sehun, wondering what his confession could be.

“Yeah, I promise. You can trust me, Sehun.”

Sehun looked away from his older brother, holding his breath as he thought about what to say next.

“I’ve been wanting to tell you this for a while now, but I was nervous. I’ve never really told anyone before because I was still trying to figure it out myself. I want to tell you now though, so I hope you’ll react okay.”

Jongin looked at his younger brother, realizing he had to say something comforting.

“Sehun, no matter what you tell me right now, I’ll still love you. I want you to know that.”

Sehun avoided looking at Jongin for a second, observing the room instead. Then he turned to look at his older brother, making eye contact once more before talking.

“I’m gay, Jongin.”

Jongin pulled his younger brother into a hug, saying something when Sehun was close enough to hear.

“It’s okay Sehun, I am too.”

Sehun pulled away from the hug, so he could look at Jongin once more. “Really?” He asked, a smile moving to his eyes.

“Really.” Jongin, answered with a laugh.

“You’ve got to be kidding!” Laughed Sehun. “I’ve been wanting to tell you for a while now, and you’re telling me I had literally NOTHING to worry about?!”

“Yeah, I guess so. I could’ve told you too though, then neither of us would have to worry about the other's reaction.”

They both laughed again from their spots on the bed, Sehun was the next to talk.

“Have you thought about telling anyone?” Genuine curiosity on his face.

“I mean, definitely. It’s a little different for me though.”

That answer intrigued Sehun. 

“Why’s it different?”

Jongin thought about his answer for a second, wondering if he should tell his younger brother about his relationship with Taemin. 

“You don’t have to tell me if you’re not ready.” Said Sehun softly, noticing Jongin's inner battle with his answer.

“No, it’s okay.” Jongin replied quietly, “I’ll tell you.”

Jongin moved so that he was looking directly at Sehun, wanting to watch his reaction. He took a deep breath, then started talking.

“I’m with someone. I have been for three years now.”

Sehun looked at Jongin, his mouth parted in disbelief. 

“Can I ask who?”

“Taemin.”

“Oh my God, seriously?!” Sehun looked shocked, but in a good way. A wide smile landed on his face. “I knew you two were close, but wow. Three years? That’s a long time.”

A blush started forming on Jongin’s cheeks, glad his friend was reacting positively.

“I’m happy for you. Really.” Said Sehun sincerely, looking his friend directly in the eyes.

Jongin smiled at him, then started talking.

“We haven’t told anyone about our relationship yet. Other than you, nobody even knows were gay. I probably should’ve talked with Taemin before telling you, but I trust you.”

“Yeah, I won’t tell anyone. I promise.” Said Sehun, then he started talking again. “Can you not tell anyone I’m gay either, I want to wait until I’m ready.”

“Yeah, of course. You didn’t even have to ask.”

Jongin pulled Sehun into a side hug, thinking about how glad he was that his younger brother knocked on his door tonight.

“It’s getting late,” said Sehun quietly. “I think I’ll head to bed, we have a busy day tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Jongin replied as he watched Sehun stand.

Before Sehun could leave his room, Jongin said one last thing. “Thank you for trusting me enough to share this part of yourself.”

Sehun looked back at Jongin, a smile on his face.

“I trust you more than anyone Jongin, I’d always tell you first.”

After Sehun left his room, Jongin grabbed his phone and texted Taemin.

“Are you still awake? Call me if you are, I kinda just told Sehun we were together.”

His phone was ringing seconds later.

May 2017,

“How would you feel about telling our members that were together?” 

Jongin found himself in the ShiNee dorm, cuddling with Taemin in his room.

Taemin looked up at Jongin, lifting his head off his boyfriend’s chest.

“Are you ready for that?” Asked Taemin curiously.

“I think so, it’s been three years. Are you ready?”

Taemin thought for a second before speaking, resting his head back on Jongin’s chest.

“Yeah, I’m ready. It’ll be okay, right?”

“Yeah, I think so. I mean, Sehun was happy for us. I’m sure the rest of the members will be too.”

It was quiet for a moment before Taemin spoke. “How should we tell them? All together in one big group, or separately. We’d be able to tell everyone sooner if we told our groups at different times, but it's easier to tell everyone at once.”

Jongin thought about his answer, then replied. “We should tell everyone at the same time. We’ve waited three years, it’s not like two more months is the end of the world. Does that sound alright?”

“Yeah.” Taemin reached out for Jongin’s hand, playing with his fingers while he thought once more.

“My members have a free weekend in the middle of June, so in about three weeks. Could we work something out then? Maybe dinner, or drinks, or something at someone’s dorm.”

“I’m sure we can get a night off.” Said Jongin. “Our comeback’s soon, but if I ask Junmyeon to have ShiNee over for drinks one night, he’ll definitely ask the managers for a free night.”

“Sounds like a plan then,” said Taemin, pausing before he finished talking. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. I think it’s time.” 

“Me too.”

June 2017,

The night in question came much faster than anticipated.

Even though Jongin was over at ShiNee’s dorm all the time, most of his members didn’t interact with the older group outside of performances. Taemin also found himself at EXO’s dorm quite often, but the same did not apply to the rest of ShiNee’s members. 

When Jongin brought up the idea of having drinks together one night, everyone agreed happily. Junmyeon had managed to get Saturday night off, thanks to the managers. They said they deserved a free night after all their hard work these past few weeks.

It wasn’t long before Taemin was knocking on EXO’s door. He entered the dorm, leading his other four members to the living room.

When both groups sat down with drinks in their hands, everyone was laughing and smiling. They told stories, and shared embarrassing memories, enjoying their night free of schedules.

After an hour had passed, there was a bit of commotion. Some people were getting up to grab bowls of snacks, while others excused themselves for the washroom. Jongin saw this as the perfect opportunity to pull Taemin away to the privacy of his room.

After shutting his bedroom door, he turned to look at Taemin.

“Are you ready to do this?” Jongin asked, hands a little shaky.

“Yeah, I am. Are you having second thoughts?” Asked Taemin, noticing his boyfriends anxiousness.

“I’m alright, just a little nervous.”

Taemin pulled Jongin into a hug, whispering reassuring words just loud enough for him to hear.

“Everything's going to be alright, I promise.” 

After a moment, he spoke again. This time looking at Jongin’s eyes. “Should we go back out there?”

“Yeah, I think we should.”

Before entering the living room, they peeked their heads around the corner to make sure all their members had returned to the couches. After counting all their heads, they were ready.

The duo stopped in front of everybody, Taemin spoke to grab their attention.

“There was actually a reason we wanted everyone to come tonight.”

Everyone turned to look at Jongin and Taemin, the two whispered quietly before Jongin started speaking. He made eye contact with Sehun, watching as his Maknae gave him a reassuring smile.

“Taemin and I have something we want to share with you. We’re together, and we have been for three years.” Jongin reached out to grab Taemin’s hand, squeezing a little harder than normal due to nerves.

The first to speak was Junmyeon, noticing the anxious habits of his second youngest member. 

“It’s okay, Jongin. We love you no matter what, I promise. I’m happy for you two, you’re really good for each other. I’m sorry if we ever made you feel like we would react differently.”

Everyone started agreeing with Junmyeon, sharing their happy thoughts. Both groups were full of support, making the couple in front of them smile.

Sehun was the first to stand, pulling Jongin and Taemin into a hug.

“Are you going to tell them tonight as well?” Asked Jongin quietly, just loud enough for Sehun and Taemin to hear.

“Nah, I’ll wait a couple days. This is your night, enjoy it.” 

All three continued hugging, then they felt more arms wrap around them. A nice group hug had formed in the middle of EXO’s living room.

When everyone dispersed, they all returned to their spots on the couches. This time, Taemin and Jongin were sitting beside each other.

Minho spoke up when everyone settled down, “So you’ve been together for three years now, and no one noticed?”

Jongin answered with a slight laugh, “Sehun’s known for a couple months now. Other than that, I don’t think anyone knew.”

“Is this why you’re always at each other's dorm?” Asked Baekhyun with a mischievous smile.

Both boys felt a blush creep up their neck, Taemin answered first. “Maybe.”

That caused everyone to smile, never having seen their teammates so flustered before.

After everything that had happened tonight, Taemin and Jongin we’re glad they told their members. It was a part of themselves they grew so used to keeping secret, that they never realized how freeing it would feel to finally share this secret with the people they loved.

They were nervous about the reactions of their members, but they realized tonight they had nothing to be afraid of.

Everything had turned out okay.

Jongin reached for Taemin’s hand, squeezing it once more. A smile stayed on both their faces for the rest of the night.


End file.
